Bangladesh national football team suffered a shocking 0-2 defeat against Abahani Limited in their first warm-up match ahead of Bangabandhu Gold Cup at the BKSP on Monday.
Abahani’s Hungarian forward Szabolcs Csorba scored both the goals in the second half from the counter attack. National team interim coach Saiful Bari Titu started the game with a second string line-up but brought back the regular players as the match progressed.
They dominated the second half but suffered two goals on counter attack to end up with defeat.
Mamunul Islam, Hemantha Vincent and Jamal Bhuiyan played in the midfield behind three attackers Sohel Rana, Jahid Hasan Ameli and Zahid Hossain while the defensive line up were comprised with Yamin Ahmed, Nasiruddin Chowdhury, Atiqur Rahman Meshu and Rayhan Hasan.
However, the star- studded national team conceded both the goals due to their over attacking play as they pressed so much, which gave more room to Abahani forwards in counter attack.
Two Abahani midfielders Shahedul Alam Shahed and Abdul Baten Komol played extremely well by creating some great chances for his team-mates.
Shahed, who played very well in the last season but was overlooked for the national team, contributed both the goals scored by his Hungarian mate Csorba.
After getting the ball in the midfield, Shahed provided a neat through to Csorba, who broke the national team defense and dribbled past Nasir and Rayhan before slotting the ball past Bangladesh goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel.
National team conceded their second after Yamin lost a ball to Shahed who passed it to Komol and the midfielder provided it to Csorba, who again dribbled past two defenders inside the box and placed it into the corner of the far post.
After the loss, Titu admitted his charges failed to compact the defense as two wing backs, who overlapped to help the attackers, were late to comeback to defend Abahani’s all Hungarian attack.
‘We failed to defend well,’ Titu said. ‘The defenders and midfielders failed to recover in time.
‘Though we dominated the second half but we conceded two goals due to silly mistakes,’ said Titu, who believes if the players cannot rectify the errors then it will be very tough for them to do well in the Bangabandhu Cup.
‘If the players do not rectify themselves, it will be really difficult for them to well’,
‘I am hoping that the boys will not repeat the same mistakes in the Bangabandhu Cup,’ he said.
Titu also hinted that there are still chances of including Shahed and Komol in the national team as both the midfielders impressed with their neat ball distribution.
‘Till announcing the final squad, there have still a chance to make some changes.I will discuss it with the others if Shahed and Komol can be included in the preliminary squad,’ said Titu.
-With New Age input
